Colombo, Sri Lanka — The United States has reported no new cases of enforced disappearances by or on behalf of Sri Lankan government authorities in 2024, according to the latest Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released by the US State Department.
The report notes that the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) did not receive any new complaints over the past year, signaling a significant decrease in enforced disappearance cases compared with previous decades.
“While no enforced disappearances were reported in 2024, challenges remain in ensuring accountability and safeguarding civil liberties,” the report states.
Ongoing Restrictions and Pressures
Despite the positive note on disappearances, the report highlights continued government use of legal instruments to arrest or punish critics. Sri Lankan authorities reportedly rely on the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) provisions, and the penal code to deter dissent and monitor political opposition.
Journalists remain particularly vulnerable. According to the report, some reporters — especially in the Northern and Eastern Provinces — faced harassment, threats, intimidation, and interference from state security personnel when covering sensitive topics, including the civil war and missing persons.
“Citizen journalists covering post-war issues reported repeated interference from state security forces,” the report states.
Digital Freedoms Under Scrutiny
Civil society groups and technology sector professionals continue to criticize the government’s Online Safety Act (OSA), expressing concerns that it could curtail online speech and stifle dissent. The US report noted that, although the government had pledged revisions to the OSA, no amendments have been implemented to date.
Accountability for Past Abuses
Progress remains limited in addressing alleged human rights abuses from Sri Lanka’s civil war (1983–2009) and the 1988–89 Marxist insurrection. The US report says the government has taken minimal steps to investigate or punish officials implicated in past violations.
“Little progress has been made in identifying and holding accountable those responsible for human rights violations from past conflicts,” the report observed.
A Streamlined Approach
The 2024 report reflects changes introduced under the administration of former US President Donald Trump, which reduced the scope of content deemed worthy of criticism. The State Department said the “streamlined” reports are more closely aligned with statutory requirements, though critics argue this approach risks underplaying ongoing abuses.
Since the 1970s, the United States has issued annual human rights reports on every country, highlighting issues such as restrictions on free assembly, unfair elections, and persecution of minority groups. While the 2024 report presents a mixed picture, it underscores that legal safeguards and institutional oversight remain key challenges for Sri Lanka as it seeks to uphold human rights standards.
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